The poems in this evocative collection are written in the same vein as Masters's tour de force, Spoon River Anthology. In free verse, Masters gives voice to a gathering of historical figures and fictitious characters who tell their stories--both the poignant and the sordid--from places as diverse as ancient Rome, Babylon, and the American Midwest. Among the selections are "Adelaide and John Wilkes Booth," and "Invocation to the Gods."